Learning from London Bridges

The footbridge was designed to celebrate the 'hidden world' of the river landscape
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Brief requirement

The brief was to create a high quality, contemporary solution with a strong identity —immediately recognisable as part of the new Liverpool One urban quarter—that would provide a direct link from the new John Lewis department store to a car park.  

Architecture

The geometry of the bridge was generated from the geometries of the site and the fixed locations of the bridge’s springing points, which are not aligned.

It is therefore conceived as a ‘cranked’ structure composed of three equal lengths, with the middle length positioned perpendicular to the adjacent buildings. Despite the crank in the bridge’s plan, a straight line of sight has been maintained internally which is visually reinforced by the apex of the roof.

The distinctive form of the bridge is built up from a number of faceted plane surfaces that wrap around the bridge deck to enclose and shelter the pedestrian. Some of these planes are part of the bridge’s structural system and are fabricated from steel plate.

Other surfaces are infilled with a lightweight glazed cladding system. The arrangement of solid and void surfaces is symmetrical across the span of the bridge and is used to control views as well as maximising the perceived transparency and lightness of the structure.

The bridge has its own sculptural identity that transcends the utility of its function—to act as a ‘transitional’ element—and appears as a solid structure interlocking with a glazed enclosure, the materials complementing those of the surrounding buildings.

The interior was designed to be a fluid and dynamic space which provides a legible and direct connection between points of departure and points of destination.

The interlock of solid cladding and glazing gives the user a clear understanding of the evolution of the structure from one end to the other. The tapering walls and gradual shift of aspect create visual interest and a feeling of openness. The internal ‘solid’ walls are clad in coloured translucent resin panels.

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Project Manager Kerin Contract Management
Structural Engineer Arup
Landscape Architect Brady Shipman Martin
Main Contractor Eiffel UK
Civil Contractor L&M Keating

Client Grosvenor
Structural Engineer Arup
Building Service Engineer Arup
Cost Consultant Davis Langdon
Lighting Designer Wilkinson Eyre Architects
Lighting Consultant Arup
Façade Consultant Arup
Environmental Consultant WSP Group Plc (BREEAM)
Specification Designer Davis Langdon, Schumann Smith
Fire Engineer Tenos Fire Safety Engineering
Main Contractor Tuchschmid

Timetable Oct 2004 - Nov 2007
Budget £11 million (AED 62 million)
Total span 350m

Architect Wilkinson Eyre Architects
Keith Brownlie (Project Director), Jim Eyre, James Marks (Project Associate), Nannette Jackowski, Massimo Mantoan, Simon Roberts, Melany Schaer, Chris Wilkinson

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